Adrien Augreste: All of You
by LunettePendragon
Summary: An akuma has attacked Adrien Agreste's mind forcing Ladybug to journey through the teen's mind in order to unlock his true self. Along the way, she discovers many new sides to her crush including learning the identity of his true self.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my people, I'm BACK! It's Adrien Aug-reste so its time for another challenge where I have to write each day. Aaaaand, I'll actually be following the prompts this time so this is going to get really interesting. Here we go!**

Day 1: Sunshine

Ladybug blinked as her eyes tried to adjust to the bright sunshine. Someone was leaning over her. As her eyes adjusted, she saw a face that was familiar, but she couldn't quite seem to place it. Green eyes and long blonde hair.

"Hello Ladybug," she said with a smiled. Ladybug sat up and looked around. She had been laying in a field of sunflowers. Rubbing her head, she tried to recall how she had gotten here.

"The akuma..." she muttered, "There was an akuma...and...and...ADRIEN!"

Ladybug scrambled to her feet looking for the blonde-haired boy. The akuma had declared that he wanted to be a famous model. Ladybug had watched in horror as he turned to Adrien, casting some sort of strange light over his perfect body.

"You summoned your lucky charm," the woman explained as if she knew exactly what Ladybug had been thinking. "It brought you here."

Ladybug looked back at the woman and finally was able to identify her.

"You're his mother," she stated, walking over to the woman she had seen on Adrien's computer. "But how are you here? Where is here?"

"This is Adrien's mind." she explained. "The akuma is in here, rummaging around and trying to learn the secret to Adrien's success as a model. You must fight the akuma, Ladybug, but this will be a difficult battle."

"Wait, I'm in Adrien's _mind_?" she asked. "I...I used my lucky charm! I'll de-transform! Adrien will know..."

"No," Adrien's mother said, raising her hand. "Time is fluid here. And only things that Adrien knows can exist here. Since Adrien does not know your identity, you will not de-transform. But you must stop the akuma."

"How do I do that? I've already used my lucky charm. And Chat isn't here to help me."

"Fear not, Ladybug." she said with a smile. "Adrien himself can help you. This is his mind and he has control over it."

"Great! So...can he kick the akuma out or something?"

"Yes, but in order to do so, his true self will need to be unlocked."

"True self? Unlocked? What does that mean?" Ladybug asked, not liking the sound of any of it.

"When the akuma broke in, Adrien's mind went into lockdown in order to protect his secrets. However, that also meant that his true self had to go into hiding. You, Ladybug, must assemble the key and unlock him. When you do so, Adrien will be able to push the akuma out and end the battle."

"Ok, find the key. Unlock Adrien. Defeat the akuma. Got it. But how do I assemble this key?"

"Use your lucky charm, of course." The woman said, pointing to Ladybug's chest. Looking down, Ladybug saw that she was wearing a long chain around her neck. Hanging from it was a small black bottle. "That bottle allows you to collect Adrien's essence from the various chambers of his mind. When the bottle is full, it will turn into a key, allowing you to free his true self."

"Chambers of his mind? Sounds like I'm going to learn a lot about Adrien, then." Ladybug said, her face blushing at the thought of peering into Adrien's personal thoughts.

"Yes, you will learn much about my son." she answered. "But bear in mind, Ladybug, all that you see are segments of who Adrien is. Small parts that make up a whole. Only when you unlock his true self, will you encounter Adrien in his complete form."

"I understand." Ladybug said with a nod.

"Know this, Adrien's essence must be given to you willingly by the segments you encounter. Some will be easier to work with than others, so be gentle, Ladybug. Time is not important here. Outside, time stands still, so be patient as you continue down your path."

"Don't worry about time. I can't get essence by force. I got it."

"Good, then open your bottle, Ladybug. And I will give you the essence I bear, for a mother is always a part of her children."

Nodding, Ladybug opened the cap on the bottle and watched as Adrien's mother faded away in a glimmer of green light. The light flowed into the bottle and the cap snapped shut of its own accord.

"Alright," she muttered. "This is weird, but I have to save Adrien."

A door appeared in front of her and taking a deep breath, she opened it and stepped through into the next chamber of Adrien's mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Day Two: Feathers

Ladybug stepped through the door and was met by a burst of white feathers. She tried brushing the air with her hand to try and see clearly. The air was full of small, white feathers, but she could make out a large bed a few yards in front of her. A child's laughter filled the air as the feathers swirled around. Ladybug smiled as she got closer to the bed.

A small child, who could only be Adrien Agreste, was jumping on the bed, a pillow on each hand. He banged the pillows together, laughing as another burst of feathers launched into the air. She watched for a moment as child-Adrien continued on with his game. He was cute and it was amusing to see Adrien this carefree.

Adrien collapsed on to the bed in a particularly strong fit of laughter, and Ladybug saw her chance.

"Um, Adrien?" she asked over his laughter. "Hello?"

"Ladybug?" the boy cried as he sat up. Seeing her, his bright green eyes lit up and he quickly got to his feet and proceeded to launch himself at her. "LADYBUG!"

Ladybug took several steps back as the boy's weight suddenly hit her in the chest. Holding him tight, she steadied herself before returning his surprise hug.

"Isn't it wonderful, Ladybug?" he was asking her. "All these feathers and I haven't sneezed once! It's so much fun! I LOVE FEATHERS!"

_Of course, _she noted to herself. _He's allergic to feathers. This must be a part of him that wishes he wasn't._

"It is wonderful, but, Adrien, I need your help," she said, gently setting the child down and kneeling in front of him.

"Aww...but I want you to play with me," his bottom lip started to quiver and Ladybug could see tears forming in the corner of his eye. Adrien's mother's words came floating back to her.

"Alright, I tell you what," she said with a smile. "We can play for a bit, and _then _I need your help. Ok?"

"YES!" he cried as he turned and fetched the pillows. He handed one to Ladybug with a grin that could rival Chat Noir's. Ladybug eagerly took the pillow and braced herself for the attack.

Time drifted away as they played, filling the air with feathers once more. They laughed as they played and, for a moment, Ladybug lost herself in the fun. Eventually, both of them collapsed on the bed.

"That was AWESOME!" Little Adrien said, pounding the air with a fist.

"Yes, yes it was." She agreed. "But Adrien, I have to defeat the akuma."

"I know, I know," he said, his face falling slightly. "But...can we play again some time?"

"Sure, Adrien," she said honestly. "We can play whenever you want."

He smiled at her before disappearing in a soft green light as did the bed and all the feathers.


	3. Chapter 3

Day 3: Just a Friend

Ladybug opened the next door and instantly recognized her own classroom. It was full of students and she had to scan the room twice to find Adrien in the middle of the crowd. The room was full of chatter, but his lips weren't moving. Instead, this Adrien was simply looking around at the people and smiling.

"Adrien!" she called out a few times before his eyes met hers from across the room. He smiled and waved and quickly made his way over to her.

"Ladybug! See my friends? Isn't this awesome?" he asked, gesturing at the packed room. "I have friends! Friends are awesome and fun and amazing and I love it! Nino is my friend. Alya's my friend. Max is my friend."

He continued on naming the students as he began pointing to each person in the room. Ladybug smiled as the rather odd Adrien bounced slightly as he talked.

_He sure likes having friends, _Ladybug noted, but glancing around the room, she realized that someone was missing, sending a small wave of panic through her.

"Adrien," she said interrupting him, "Adrien, what about Marinette?"

"Marinette? You know Marinette?" He asked, his green eyes growing wide.

"Uh...yes! And I thought you and her were friends." She said, hoping he would agree.

"Marinette is...is..." Adrien's face seemed to shrink into a tight ball as he tried to finish the sentence. After a moment, however, he seemed to give up and changed his approach "Marinette is amazing!"

"But not your friend?"

"I didn't say that," he argued, crossing his arms.

"So you are friends?"

"We...we...we hang out."

"That's not the same as friends, Adrien." Ladybug said flatly, feeling her heart plummet in her chest.

The friend-obsessed Adrien sighed deeply. He looked rather lost and sad and Ladybug couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"I don't know," he confessed. "I don't know what we are. I want to be friends, but sometimes it feels like something more. Other times I think she hates me. I'm so confused, but I really do want to be her friend."

"Something...more?" she repeated the words that had sent her heart racing. She already knew that he had once thought she was angry with him, but she also thought they had moved past that. The idea that Adrien might feel something more was new information that Ladybug was struggling to process.

"Yeah, maybe...I don't know."

"Adrien, who is the woman you love?" she asked, unable to waste the chance to find out.

"The woman...I...love? I...I only have friends. Ask that other Adrien. He deals with the love department!"

_Other Adrien? _Ladybug asked herself. _Of course, this area contains Adrien's friendships. Romance is going to be in a different room._

"Thank you, Adrien," she said, earning herself a soft smile for the boy. "Now, about this akuma. I need your help."

"I always help my friends!" he cried eagerly.

"Great! So, I need you to..."

"Are we friends?" he asked, cutting her off. He leaned in close to her, making Ladybug feel slightly uncomfortable. "I'm not sure, Ladybug. What are we exactly?"

"Uh...yes. Yes, Adrien. Ladybug is your friend."

"_Best _friends?" He asked with a large grin.

"Sure. Best friends. Of course. We are best friends, Adrien."

Adrien reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"I'm glad, Ladybug. I really do value your friendship."

The phrase caught Ladybug off guard, but she had little time to process her thoughts as Adrien faded away in the soft green light that was becoming routine. She quickly opened the bottle as the light flowed in. The people in the room disappeared and a new door appeared at the back of the classroom. Shaking her head of all her questions, she pressed forward, hoping she might encounter the romantic side of Adrien and get some answers.


	4. Chapter 4

Day 4: Lucky Charm

The next room, in complete contrast to the crisp, clean classroom, was dark and packed tight with piles of boxes. Ladybug carefully made her way through the mess, searching for some sign of Adrien. A shuffling sound to her left made her jump, but she couldn't see anything there except a stack of newspapers.

"A-Adrien?" she asked hopefully. As if answering, there was a burst of shuffling sounds to her right. She thought she saw a flash of red in between the boxes, but it was gone so quickly that she couldn't be sure.

Taking a few more hesitant steps through the mess, praying it wasn't rats, she moved deeper into the room. Not finding anything or anyone, she decided to open one of the boxes. Inside were old newspapers, jars of beads, a few socks, and some pipes. Reaching in, she pulled out one of the jars, but the room was filled with a loud shriek and the jar was instantly pulled from her hands.

"Musn't touch!" a raspy voice said. "Musn't touch the lucky!"

Startled, she looked over to see a strange form of Adrien crouched low to the ground. He was holding the jar close to his chest, gently stroking it with one hand. His clothes were tattered and his hair was a rat's nest. It was his eyes, however, that worried Ladybug the most.

His pupils were dilated and he kept glancing around like some scared animal.

"Mustn't touch!" he repeated, his voice sounding far from normal. "It's mine! MINE!"

"Alright! Alright, no touching," she said, taking a step back and holding up her hands. "I promise I won't touch."

"Good, good," he muttered and then turned his attention back to the jar in his hands. "She didn't hurt? She didn't hurt you lucky? No, no. Lucky fine. Lucky have Andy now. Andy take care of lucky."

"Um...Adrien?" Ladybug asked hesitantly, interrupting his dialogue with the jar.

"DO NOT SAY THAT NAME!" he shouted at her, making her jump back and bump into a stack of crates. "THAT NAME NOT LUCKY! THAT NAME BAD LUCKY! NO BAD LUCKY! ME ANDY!"

"Sorry! Sorry! Andy! You're Andy! Got it!"

Andy hissed at Ladybug and turned his back to her and resumed muttering to the jar of beads. She frowned as she glanced around the room. She wasn't sure what part of Adrien this was, but it was clearly going to be more difficult to work with than the other parts.

"Andy?" she asked softly. He said nothing, but glanced over his shoulder at her. "Andy, I need your help. There's an akuma."

"Akuma bad. Lucky doesn't like akuma."

"That's right. Akuma bad." she said, but Andy didn't move so she pushed harder, piecing together all that he had said. "Akuma will come in here and touch lucky. Might even _take _lucky. If you want to keep your lucky, you need to help me stop it."

"Ladybug...need lucky," he asked, turning. "Ladybug have her lucky?"

She lowered herself to the ground so that she was eye-level with him. Fingering the bottle hanging from her neck she nodded. Andy crawled closer to her and looked at the bottle.

"That lucky?" he asked.

"Yes, this is my lucky charm."

Andy gently set down the jar of beads and reached into his shirt pocket. He pulled out a string of beads that Ladybug recognized as the lucky charm she had given to Adrien.

"This Andy's lucky charm." he told her, holding it up. "Nice girl gave it to us."

"Marinette. Marinette gave that to you."

Andy smiled wide and nodded. He held out the charm towards her. She started to reach for it but then hesitated, recalling his reaction over the beads.

"Ladybug lucky. Andy trust Ladybug. Protect lucky." He explained, pushed the charm closer to her. "Take lucky. Defeat akuma."

She reached out again and took the charm from him. She fingered the familiar beads in her hand and smiled.

Suddenly the room shook and Andy began to shriek. Getting to her feet, Ladybug instantly reached for her yo-yo.

"AKUMA!" Andy cried. "Ladybug go now! Go fight! Be Lucky!"

She looked back at the strange version of Adrien as he faded in green light like the others. The room faded into darkness. Panicked, she began swinging her yo-yo, braced for a fight.


	5. Chapters 5 and 6

**Woops! Missed a day. Oh well, it worked out because it was actually easier to combine today's and yesterday's prompts into one chapter. Hope you enjoy!**

**Partners/Cardboard**

Voice floated across the darkness as Ladybug slowly turned in a circle. She wasn't able to make out words but she heard crying and laughing. There were screams of pain and screams of triumph. All of it seemed to spin around her in an endless storm until one word cut through them all

_Milady._

"Chat?" she asked, praying her partner had somehow made it in here to help her, but there was only more emptiness.

"Ladybug!" Another voice called out. Turning she saw Adrien running towards her. Without hesitating, she ran towards him. He reached out her hand and pulled in her the direction he had just come from. "Come on. It's not safe here."

She let Adrien pull her along and soon a door appeared in front of them. Adrien opened it and pulled Ladybug inside before closing it and locking it tight.

"You alright?" Adrien asked her. She nodded, taking in this Adrien for the first time. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with Bermuda shorts and he had a long tube of cardboard in his hand. He was nearly a foot shorter than Ladybug and seemed to be much younger as well.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Looks like Andy didn't lock his door properly. You feel between rooms where that akuma is. The real Adrien is holding him off the best he can until you can fully unlock him."

"The...real Adrien?" Ladybug recalled thinking she heard Chat in the darkness but quickly shook her head. _I must have imagined it._

"Yeah. He went into lockdown like the rest of us, but he's strong. Even now, he has influence. He's the one who told me to go get you."

"He told you? You guys can talk to each other?"

"Kinda. I mean, technically we are the _same _person. Just, here, we have split apart. But we are still connected in some ways." Adrien started walking through the room. It was full of paper airplanes, doodles and sketches, and tons of cardboard. All of the artwork that was scattered looked like it had been made by a toddler. "Follow me Ladybug. I have something for you!"

"Um...so...are you...like..." She tried to find the right words.

"Which part of Adrien am I?" he asked looking over his shoulder. "Creativity! Can't you tell? The others call me Auguste. You, know after Auguste Renoir?"

Ladybug chuckled slightly as Adrien, or Auguste rather, smiled back at her with sparkling eyes.

"You seem, normal." she noted, then realizing how horrible that sounded she quickly added, "Compared to the others, I mean."

"If you mean Andy, I'll glady take the compliment!"

"What was he anyway?"

"Andy? Oh, he's an interesting one. See, Adrien thinks he's unlucky." Auguste explained. "So a part of him, Andy, has become a little too obsessed with lucky charms."

"Why does Adrien feel he's unlucky?" she asked. "I mean, he has fortune, fame..."

"But no mother," Auguste said, cutting her off. His face was flat and serious making Ladybug regret her words. "It started when his mother died. And then it got worse when..."

"When what?" she asked, feeling horrible for even bringing up the topic but now her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"No. It's not my place to tell you." He muttered as he began digging through one of the boxes. "Ah! Here it is! I made this for you, Ladybug!"

Auguste pulled out a cardboard crown decorated with a few plastic jewels and some hand-drawn patterns in marker. She was about to burst out laughing at the childish art project, but she could see the pride beaming from Auguste.

"Uh...it's...it's..."

"I know. It's too awesome for words. Here, put it on!"

Ladybug squatted slightly so that Auguste could gently place the crown on her head. She felt silly, but Auguste was clapping with joy.

"Thank you," she said, to which he grinned even wider.

"You're the queen, Ladybug. Don't forget that. You've always been my queen."

"Wait. What?" she asked, but Auguste was already fading away. The green light coming from him spread around the room, removing the art collection and supplies. Reaching up, she noticed her crown had disappeared as well. A door appeared in front of her and she cautiously stepped through, pushing her thoughts deep down. She had a job to do and it wasn't a good time to get distracted.


	6. Chapter 7

As Ladybug stepped into the next room, she couldn't believe her eyes. Everywhere she looked, there was a stuffed animal. There were small ones, big ones, and even a few larger than herself. To her left, there was a large bear that almost reached the ceiling sitting next to a wagon of tiny bunnies. The room was packed tight with the animals, but there was a clear path leading deeper into the room. She followed it quietly until she came across a mound of pillows. At the top of the pillows, a small boy was fast asleep.

Ladybug smiled as she drew closer to the boy. He was tiny, perhaps no older than two, and was silently sucking his thumb. She reached out and gently brushed a lock of his golden hair away from his face and that's when she noticed the hand-made Ladybug doll that the tiny Adrien was clinging to.

"Awe," she said under her breathe, unable to get enough of the cuteness. The sound disturbed the boy and he popped his thumb out of his mouth. His eyes opened and locked the Ladybug.

"Bug?" he asked in toddler's voice. "Bug?"

"Yes, it's Ladybug." she said, confirming her identity. The boy reached out and let out a string of syllables that she couldn't understand, but his intent was clear.

She quickly scooped up the boy and rocked him gently in her arms. The boy smiled at her and started sucking his thumb again. He snuggled close and Ladybug squeezed him tight, enjoying every moment. The little Adrien's eyes closed again and, after a moment, he seemed to have fallen asleep. Ladybug pondered if she should put him back down or not, but before she could decide, the soft green light returned and the boy and his toys disappeared.


	7. Chapter 8

Cat Tendencies

Ladybug stepped through the next door already missing the cute sleeping Adrien. To her surprise, she found another sleeping Adrien. This one, however, appeared to be his normal age and was curled up on an oversized red couch. His eyes flew open as she approached and he picked up his head. It was then that she noticed he was wearing a pair of black cat ears and a bell was hanging from his neck.

"Hey there," she said, wondering what part of Adrien this might be. She didn't have to wait long however as he climbed down from the couch and crawled on all fours towards her.

"Meow," he said and Ladybug's eyes grew wide.

"Did you just...meow?"

The Adrien-cat meowed again and crawled around her, brushing up against her legs. Ladybug blushed slightly and the movement.

"Uh, Adrien?" she asked, but he only crawled away and climbed into a box nearby. He spun around in the box until he was comfortable and then sat down, his eyes locked on Ladybug. "So, Adrien is part cat then?"

Glancing around the room, she saw that it truly was set up for a cat. There were scratching posts, oversized cat furniture to climb, and several cat toys scattered around.

"Alright, so how do I get you to help me?" she asked, but Adrien didn't move. Sighing, she picked up one of the cat toys. It was a long stick with a string that was attached to a toy mouse. As she moved it, she could hear the small bell hiding inside the mouse. "Want to play, kitty?"

She jingled the mouse as Adrien continued to watch her from his box.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty," she called. Adrien tilted his head to the side and she smiled, knowing she had his interested. She continued to make the mouse move side to side as Adrien kept his eyes locked on the toy. Slowly, he made his way out of the box and started stalking his prey.

Ladybug tried to contain her giggles, but seeing Adrien crawling around in such a manner was almost too much. Soon, she had him jumping and leaping after the mouse. She was careful to make if fun while not letting him get the toy. After some time, however, she finally let him catch it. He grinned with pride as the toy mouse dangled from his mouth.

"Good kitty," she said, scratching him between his fake cat ears. He looked up at her and she suddenly felt a wave of familiarity wash over her. There was something about his green eyes looking up at her in such a way as she spoke. But before she could recognize what it was, the room was filled with another burst of green light.


	8. Chapter 9

Catastrophe

"Hello?" Ladybug called out after stepping through the door. The room was pitch black and there was a slight echo. In the darkness, someone grabbed a hold of her and pulled her further into the room.

"Shh, come with me." A voice whispered to her and she could easily identify it as Adrien's. In the darkness, she could barely make out her own hand being dragged by his. Then, she saw a soft glow in the distance. An unseen hand pulled back a sheet of some kind and Ladybug found herself being pulled under a table. The blanket fell back into place behind her and she took in her surroundings. The table was large, providing ample room underneath and a large, thick blanket covered the gap between the tabletop and the floor. Inside, Adrien had a small flashlight that provided light for space.

"You're safe here," Adrien said as he sat down across from her.

"Where is here?" she asked. This Adrien was wearing a blue hoodie with blue jean. Aside from missing his normal clothes, he appeared to be exactly the same as the Adrien that Marinette went to school with.

"My fort. I built it with my mom when I was six." he explained. "It's the safest place in here."

"I see. But Adrien, I have to go back out there. The akuma..."

"NO!" he cried. "No! You can't leave! It's hopeless! The akuma will win, Hawkmoth will get the miraculouses and we will all be doomed!"

"Adrien, I'll beat the akuma..." she tried to reassure him, but was cut off again.

"No you won't! It's too powerful and Hawkmoth is too smart! You can't win Ladybug! It's hopeless! You have to stay here where you will be safe!"

Ladybug sat silently as she studied Adrien for a moment. He was shaking slightly and had pulled his legs inside his hoodie. His eyes were wide with panic and then Ladybugy understood.

"Fear," she whispered more to herself. "You're Adrien's fear."

"You bet I am! I know those other guys aren't worried, but they should be! I mean, come on! This is _Hawkmoth _we're talking about. And he is determined to win! He'll never stop! He's going to keep making akumas until he gets what he wants! In the end, we are all doomed!"

"But Adrien," she said softly, reaching out and putting a hand on his shoulder as he had so often done to her. "I'm just as determined, if not more, to win. Good always wins in the end. You'll see. I just need you to trust me."

"Trust you?" he asked. Ladybug nodded. He seemed to ponder the question for a moment. "But you don't even have Chat to help you."

"I'm sure he'll show up. He always does." She reassured him. "All I have to do is unlock the real Adrien and then Chat will be at my side again."

Adrien chuckled slightly and smiled.

"Well, you got that part right." He said with a smirk.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, confused at his statement.

"Nevermind. But...do you really think you can do it? Unlock Adrien while that akuma is floating around? You've already fallen in between rooms once. What's to stop you from doing it again? If we lose you, it will be a catastrophe!"

"You'll never me lose me, Adrien. I'll always be here for you."

Their eyes locked and for a moment, she could have sworn she saw someone else in Adrien's eyes.

"Alright," he said with a gentle smile. "I trust you Ladybug."

As the green light surrounded them, Ladybug couldn't help but wonder if she was missing something in all of this. It felt as if she was supposed to be learning something. Something about Adrien she didn't already know. His mother had said she would learn secrets, and her gut told her it wasn't that he was afraid of akumas or sometimes acted like a cat. There was a secret here and her brain was struggling to figure it out.


	9. Chapter 10 & 11

**Ugh, sorry all. I had a deadline this morning that took all my time this weekend. Here's a combined day 10 & 11. I still owe you a day 12, but I'm running late this morning lol. Oh, well. Tis life right?**

Day 11: Abandon

Day 12: Childhood

Ladybug found that the next room was full of tiny kittens. Their cries filled the air and melted her heart. Momentarily forgetting Adrien for a moment, she squatted down and gently scratched a grey and black striped kitten between the ears. The kitten purred at her touch and several more walked up to her. She smiled and proceeded to pet them all in turn. Before she knew it, she was sitting cross-legged on the floor covered with kittens.

"Will you take one home?" a voice asked her. Looking up she saw a small version of Adrien. He appeared to be ten or so and was wearing an orange shirt with camo pants; a rather interesting look for the blonde-haired boy.

"They were all abandoned by their mother," he was saying with sad eyes. "Will you take one?"

"Adrien, this is your mind. I don't think I can take one home." She said. The boy nodded and she could tell he was upset. She glanced around and then realized what the connection was.

"You miss her," she said gently. "Your mother I mean."

The boy looked her in the eye and she could see his pain. He sniffled slightly and Ladybug quickly got to her feet.

"It isn't fair," he cried as she pulled him into a tight hug. "Why did she have to leave? Why did she abandon me?"

"Oh, Adrien," she sighed, not knowing what to say to him. "She loved you very much. You know that."

"Then why did she have to go on that trip? She could have stayed home! Why did she have to leave?"

"Adrien, I don't have the answer, but I know that she never would have left if she knew she wouldn't come back." Ladybug felt like she was drowning. She didn't know the circumstances of his mother's death, but she was trying her best to comfort him with the little information she had.

"I need her back," he said, his voice breaking with tears. "I need her to come home."

"She can't do that, Adrien. You know that."

The boy buried his face deeper into Ladybug's chest as he cried. Looking around the room, she saw that the cats were no longer paying attention to her. She also saw that they were in a large room. The style of the room suggested this was a part of the Agreste mansion, however, this room was set up with a large chalkboard and a student desk; a school room.

"Is this where you do your school?" she asked, recalling that Adrien had been homeschooled until just a few years ago. "Did your mother used to teach you?"

"She made it fun," he said. "I didn't mind being homeschool when she was here. We played games and laughed. Natalie is nice, but it isn't the same."

"What kind of games?" she asked, curoius to know more about Adrien's childhood.

"Hopscotch. That was her favorite. I really liked playing it, but Natalie and Father don't approve of hopscotch. They say you look 'undignified' when you're playing it."

"Then let's play hopscotch," she said with a smile. The boy pulled back and looked up at her.

"Really? You'll play with me?" he asked, his green eyes slightly red from crying.

"Really. I love hopscotch. Let's play a game together. It might make you feel better."

Adrien smiled and ran off towards the desk. He quickly pulled out a piece of chalk and together they drew the necessary pattern on the floor. Soon enough, they were taking turns throwing a green beanbag and hopping along the tile floor. Ladybug smiled as she saw Adrien start to relax and seem happier. His eyes still looked a little sad, but she assumed they always would. This was a part of him that needed his mother. She couldn't imagine how painful her death had been for him and she found that she had a deeper respect for her crush. Life hadn't always been easy for him, but he was always managing to smile.

"Thank you for playing with me, but I think you had better get going," Adrien said after several games. "The akuma is still out there."

"Alright. Maybe we can play hopscotch another time." She replied, handing the beanbag to him.

"Don't you think we are a little old for hopscotch?" he asked with a look that seemed much older than ten.

"Adrien, I literally play with a yo-yo every day. You're never too old to play anything."

"Alright, alright," Adrien said as he laughed and shook his head. "You're right. Remind me when this attack is over and we can play."

"Sounds like a date then," she said without thinking.

"Sounds like." He confirmed, giving her a wink before disappearing in a burst of green light.


	10. Chapter 12

Day 12: Tattoo

As Ladybug opened the next door, she was hit with loud rock and roll music. Startled, she glanced around to see a gym with a large variety of equipment. Underneath the music, she could hear a sort of clanging sound with she followed along the exterior of the room. Eventually, she spied someone using one of the machines. The weights clanged together as a large man pulled down on the cord. As he finished his set and wiped his face with a towel, Ladybug stood in shock.

This, of course, was another version of Adrien and this one was ripped. His tight-fighting work out clothes did little to cover his large, bulging muscles. In fact, she fully expected the shirt to rip at any moment. He was taking a drink from a green water bottle when he spied her.

"Ladybug!" He called out in a deep gruff voice before bounding over her and giving her a bear hug that was tighter than her father's. "It's so good to see you! Welcome to the gym: Home of Adrien's strength. You can call me Buff!"

"Can't...breathe..." Ladybug managed to choke out.

"Oh, sorry Little Lady." Buff said, setting her back down. "You alright? I forget my own strength sometimes!"

"Uh...it's...it's fine Buff." She stammered, still trying to get comfortable around his massive form. "I didn't realize Adrien liked working out so much."

"Oh, he doesn't. I'm just a manifestation of his strength. And, well, the gym is just a part of that. The rooms are connected to us you know."

Ladybug thought about his words and nodded. Based on what she had seen, it made sense. Each room had reflected their counterparts in one way or another.

"Oh, but you need my essence to fight off that akuma, right?" he asked. Ladybug nodded, thankful that he gone straight to the point. "That's fine. But first, can I show you something real quick?"

"Uh, sure?" she asked hesitantly, not liking the grin that had spread across his face. Buff stretched out his right arm and turned it so that she could see a tattoo just below the interior of his elbow.

_Ladybug._

It was written in curvy letters and had a sort of strange squiggle around it. She gasped slightly at the sight of it, but her face immediately dropped when he pressed both his arms together. On his left are, in the same place, he had Chat Noir tattooed in Jagged letters with its own strange border. When Buff held them together, the squiggles formed a heart around the two names.

"Pretty cool huh?" he asked. She looked up at him, not at all pleased.

"Not you too," she moaned. While she had gotten used to all the LadyNoir shippers of Paris, seeing that Adrien was one of them, or at least a little bit, annoyed her.

"Oh, come on Little Lady. You two are made for each other!" Buff said, grin from his face falling.

"We are partners. Friends. But I love someone else." Ladybug explained.

"So you still don't see it?" he said, more than asked, as he shook his head. "Oh well, someday Little Lady. You'll see that you're the perfect couple."

"That's what Chat keeps saying." Ladybug said, crossing her arms defensively.

"You should listen to him more," Buff commented. "But enough chit-chat. Open your bottle, Little Lady. You got an akuma to stop."

Ladybug quickly undid the lid and was thankful to see this particular version of Adrien fade away. But as she left the room, she felt her heart breaking slightly.


	11. Chapter 13 & 14

**Ok, so I cheated a bit. Here's another short, combined chapter to get us back on track. I was a little stuck on this but I really wanted to get the next chapter out (which is following behind shortly!) and be back on schedule. Apologies in advance, this isn't one of my best works, but at least it has a cute factor!**

13: Shapeshift

14: Fairytale

As Ladybug moved through the next room, she felt numb. Her encounter with Buff had gotten to her more than she cared to admit and was having a hard time focusing around her. At one point she thought she saw a teddy bear amongst the clutter, but when she looked back there was only a green stuffed-dinosaur.

"Focus," she told herself. "You have to save Adrien. Now focus!"

"Good luck with that," a voice called out to her. Looking up, she saw another boy-version of Adrien. This one appeared to be about seven and was dressed like a prince and was sitting on a throne.

"Adrien?" she asked hesitantly; so many of the personas had adopted a different name.

"Yep. Welcome to my kingdom!" The boy raised his arms and gestured around the room. Ladybug took in the surroundings, recalling that Buff had explained their importance.

The room was full of toys and books, but the more she looked, the more she realized what was happening. Ladybug hadn't been mistaken when she thought she saw a teddy bear. Everything in the room was constantly shifting; turning from one thing into another.

"Imagination," she said after some thought. "You're imagination."

"Correct! And here is your prize!" Adrien declared. She felt a rush of energy wash over her. Looking down she saw that, over her suit, she was now wearing a red ballgown, complete with a tiara on her head. "Congratulations Princess Ladybug!"

"Would you care to dance, Princess?" the little prince asked. She laughed as the room shifted into a large ballroom. Adrien stood up straight and offered her a hand. It was awkward dancing with someone so much shorter than her, but Ladybug let herself get lost in the moment. When their dance ended, the little prince stepped back and gave her a deep bow. Looking up, he winked at her before fading away in green light.


	12. Chapter 15

**Ok, all caught up. Not going to lie, I've been looking forward to this chapter since we started. I hope you guys like it!**

**15 Coffee Shop**

Opening the next door, Ladybug stepped through to find herself in a coffee shop. Windows lined the exterior walls and outside it was raining.

"Hello, Ladybug," Adrien, who was sitting at one of the tables at the opposite end of the shop, waved her over. "Care for some hot chocolate?"

Ladybug took the seat opposite of him and nodded. He poured her a cup from the carafe that was sitting on the table.

"Thank you," she said, taking the cup from him. Adrien nodded and took a sip from his own mug. They sat in silence for a moment, drinking hot chocolate and listening to the rain.

"My mother used to bring me here," Adrien explained after a while. "She drank expresso while I had the chocolate. It was her favorite place."

"But I already met the part of you that misses her," Ladybug replied, confused. Adrien chuckled slightly and blushed.

"Yes, you did." he commented, looking down into his chocolate.

"Then what part are you?" she asked, not able to tell from him or anything in the coffee shop.

"I'm Adrien Agreste." he said looking back up at her. His green eyes were sad and had a trace of fear in them.

"Like...the whole person?" she asked, noting how normal he seemed to her; how complete.

"Yes, and no. I'm half of the whole me. The half everyone sees. There's a half that no one sees. Who I truly am behind all of this." he gestured at himself. "I have to represent the Agreste brand at all times. So, there are pieces of me that I have to keep hidden."

"You're true self," Ladybug said, her heart dropping with understanding. The Adrien she knew, the one she claimed to love, had a hidden side that she didn't know about. "Does no one know? Does no one really see you for who you are?"

"My mother did and...well...there is one person," he explained, looking out the window at the rain. "But she doesn't know I'm Adrien Agreste."

"What do you mean?" she asked, not understanding how someone could not know who he was. "You're famous. Everyone knows you're Adrien Agreste."

"Not her. It's...difficult to explain." Adrien said and she noticed that he was avoiding eye contact with her. "But you are going to meet him. You have too."

"You're scared," she noted.

"Very much, Ladybug." he admitted. "I'm afraid you won't be able to accept me for who I really am."

"Oh, Adrien, you don't have to worry about that," she told him with confidence. This was Adrien and she knew deep in her heart that nothing would ever change her feelings towards him. "You are a wonderful person. Inside and out. And I'm sure that this part of you that you hide is amazing too."

"I hope you think so, Ladybug." he said, finally looking at her again. "But you need to get going. I'm holding off the akuma the best I can, but I can only do so much until I'm able to be whole again. You have to find my other half."

"You're true self," she confirmed, standing up. Adrien stood as well and pulled an umbrella out from under the table. It was folded, but she recognized it immediately as the one he had given to her as Marinette.

"Here, you may need this." he said, holding it out to her. Ladybug felt her body shake with emotion as she gently wrapped her fingers around the handle, taking the umbrella from him. In that moment, she felt as if she was falling for him all over again; his face full of the same kindness she had seen that first day.

"Find my other half, Ladybug." he told her. "And, please, find a way to accept him. I know it may be difficult, but please try."

The coffee shop began to fade away as Ladybug tried to piece together his words; wondering if there really was a reason to worry.


	13. Chapter 16

**16 Swap**

"LADYBUG!" The shrill voice cried as Ladybug stepped into the next room. A body slammed into her and all she could see was golden curls. The body bounced as it squeezed Ladybug tight. "OH MY LORD! YOU'RE REALLY HERE! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!"

Ladybug pushed back against the person so that she could see who was screaming at her in a thick American accent. The person had Adrien's face, but was wearing thick make-up and had a huge pile of golden curls pinned to their head in a fashion that reminded Ladybug of Dolly Parton.

"And you are?" she asked, trying to prevent her eyebrow from raising too high.

"Adrianna, Adrein's feminine side." the Adrien-woman replied. "You must let me do your hair! I've been dying to style it for you, but Adrien won't ask! PLEASE? Please can I do it?"

"Um...sure?" Ladybug replied, trying not to laugh. "But then you have to help me with the akuma."

"DEAL!" Adrianna cried as she pulled Ladybug towards a chair that was sitting in the middle of the room. She found herself sitting in front of a pink dressing table and Adrianna took the umbrella she had been carrying and set it on the table. For some reason, it hadn't disappeared with the rest of the coffee shop. Adrianna quickly undid Ladybug's pigtails and started brushing out her hair.

"I just don't know how you do it," Adrianna was saying. "You fight akumas, soar through the air, and your pigtails stay perfect! What is your secret?"

"Part of the magic, I guess," she said, never really having giving it a thought.

"Really? Then why is Chat Noir's hair always such a mess?"

Ladybug thought about this for a moment. Her own hair was almost always in pigtails when she wasn't Ladybug.

"Maybe that's how he wears it as his civilian self," she said.

"Well that would make sense."

Ladybug closed her eyes as Adrianna continued to brush her hair. It was nice to be pampered like this and she tried to imagine Adrien doing this for her out in the real world. The thought made her smile.

"What are you thinking about?" Adrianna asked. "Because whatever it is, you sure are smiling."

"Oh, I was just thinking about how nice this is," Ladybug answered. Adrianna was now pulling a section of her hair into a braid.

"Believe it or not, Adrien is actually quite skilled with hair. His mother used to let him style hers. We enjoyed it."

"Well, he can do my hair anytime."

"Really?" Adrianna asked. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course. I'll talk to him about it." She said with a smile. Adrianna grinned down at her and finished tying off the braid. After a few more minutes, Adrianna told her to look in the mirror. Ladybug's hair was now in a high bun with two braids leading up to it.

"It's beautiful." Ladybug commented.

"Thank you, but you better be going now. It was nice to meet you!"

"It was nice to meet you too, Adrianna." Ladybug said, standing up and collecting the umbrella. Adrianna nodded as she began to fade away.


	14. Chapter 17

**17 Akumatized**

The next room was pitch black and Ladybug's footstep echoed in the darkness.

"Hello?" she whispered. Listening carefully, she could hear a faint muttering somewhere in the distance. She moved forward cautiously, using the umbrella to warn her of any unseen obstacles. Keeping her ears sharp, she moved closer to the sound until she was able to make out a few words.

"Akuma...bad...hide...akuma,"

"Adrien?" she asked as she started to make out a shape curled up on the floor in front of her. The shape moved and the muttering stopped. "Adrien, it's me. It's Ladybug."

"Lady...bug?" the voice asked, somewhat hesitantly but she was confident the voice was Adrien's.

"That's right, Ladybug." She knelt down, wishing she had Chat's night vision.

"There's an akuma," Adrien whispered. "I can't do it. I can't fight him!"

"It's alright, I'm here now." she reassured him. This wasn't the first Adrien she had met that was afraid, but this one seemed older; closer to his true age.

"I failed you. I'm so bad at this." He said, a little bit louder and Ladybug could tell that he was sitting right in front of her, despite the fact she couldn't see. "I can't do this! He needs to pick someone else!"

"You haven't failed me!" she argued. "You are doing great. I know you wish this was happening to someone else, but it's going to be ok. I promise."

"But I can't help you! I'm too scared. I'm sorry."

"Adrien..." Even in the darkness, she knew he was crying. She reached out in hopes to find his face. Her hand hit the corner of his chin."It's going to be alright."

She followed the trail of tears up his cheek, brushing them away with her thumb. But when she got closer to where his eyes should be, she realized that he was wearing a mask. She traced the outer edge of it while touching her own mask. Based on the texture, they matched perfectly.

"I'm sorry, Ladybug." he was saying, "I want to fight, I do, but I can't!"

"Just hold on," she said as she tried to process what her fingers were telling her. "Just hold on a little while. For me."

There was a loud bang from somewhere to their right and Adrien's mask slipped away from her.

"Go," he told her. "Go now!"

There was a flash of light and she tried to take the moment to get a clear view of Adrien, but it happened too fast. She felt like she was falling, but the landed right in front of a new door. Quickly getting to her feet she pressed on and opened the door.


	15. Chapter 18

**18 Cosplay**

Ladybug hardly noticed her surroundings as she tried to catch her breath. Having gone through the next door, she thought she might be safe and truly needed a moment before continuing. She looked down at her hand that had touched Adrien's mask. The room had been too dark to see what color it was, but Ladybug knew that it could have only been one. After all, she was responsible for handing out extra miraculouses when needed and she hadn't chosen Adrien.

"Well hello, _milady,_" a familiar voice called out to her.

Her heart racing she looked up. A few feet in front of her stood Adrien, who was wearing a Chat Noir costume exactly like the one he had worn during the music video a few years ago. He still wasn't wearing the mask, but he had a Chat Noir staff in his right hand.

"It sure is good to see you," he was saying with a smile.

"Chat Noir?" she asked, not sure what she expected him to say.

"Of course!" he cried, "Isn't this costume amazing? I really look like the real thing don't I?"

"No, I mean, is Adrien really Chat Noir?" she clarified the question. The costumed Adrien stared at her, his eyes growing wide.

"Oh I wish!" he cried. "Chat Noir is so cool! There's an akuam and he's like this, and this, and THIS!"

She watched as Adrien started fighting imaginary foes with his staff. She squinted slightly, not convinced she was getting the right answer.

"The Adrien in the last room," she pressed on, "He was wearing a mask."

"Oh _that_ guy? He's terrified of being given a miraculous. Thinks we would make a horrible superhero."

Ladybug nodded as she took in the information. Suddenly, she saw what the previous Adrien had been saying in a new light. He wasn't talking about the current akuma, he had been talking about becoming a miraculous holder. That part hadn't wanted to be a superhero while this one clearly did. As for Adrien being Chat Noir, she wasn't sure if either one of these Adrien's would be capable of answer the question. But now that it was in her mind, she also knew she would have to give it more thought.

"Well, I think you would be great," she said, shifting the conversation. "In fact, I need your help _Chat Noir._"

Ladybug added a small wink at the end that made this Adrien squeal with joy. She quickly improved a grand speech about the akuma attacking and how Adrien was the only one who could save Paris.

"Will you help me?" she said at the end. Adrien quickly nodded and the room disappeared in green light.

"Well," she said out loud. "If he is Chat Noir...no best not think about it. Just keep going, Mari."

Silencing the questions in her mind, she walked forward to the next door, but she wasn't sure how long she could hold back the flood of questions that was brewing inside her.


	16. Chapter 19

**Tomorrow is going to be a busy morning for me so I'm going to give you guys this early. Surprise! Hope you enjoy, but remember, no update tomorrow. **

**19 Fencing**

Spanish guitar music was playing in the next room. Ladybug smiled as she saw someone fencing against a mannequin. He was wearing the traditional fencing armor that covered his face, but she knew it was Adrien.

"Hello," she called over the music. Instantly, the music stopped playing and Adrien lifted his mask.

"Ah, so you finally made it to me," Adrien said as he walked over. "I wondered how long it would take."

"And you are Adrien's fencing side I take it?" she asked, even thought it was fairly obvious to her.

"Yep. I'm his fencing skills. In fact, the next few rooms are all skills."

"I see," Ladybug hesitated, but the pressed forward with her question. "Is Adrien Chat Noir?"

"Sorry, Ladybug, but I don't have answers to things like that." he said with a shrug. "I'm just a skill set. I don't really know anything else besides fencing."

Ladybug sighed, having hoped to settle the question once and for all, but it seemed getting an answer was going to be more complicated than she thought.

"Which Adrien can I ask?" she asked, wanting to know how long she would have to wait.

"Ask his true self," he said. "He'd have the answer for sure."

"Alright. I'll do that." Ladybug made a mental note to try and not think about it until she was at the end of this long and tiring quest. Looking down at her bottle, she could see it was over half full. "I don't think getting to him will take too much longer."

"No, you're getting close. There's me, the other skills, and then a few deeper thoughts you must get through."

"Deeper thoughts?"

"Haven't you noticed?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "You are going deeper and deeper into Adrien's subconscious."

"But he fences all the time. How can you be this far into his subconscious?" she asked. Adrien chuckled.

"Because he doesn't have to think about it."

"Of course," Ladybug nodded as she began to understand. "He doesn't have to really think about it. Fencing is more of a reflex for him."

"Exactly," he confirmed. "Now, you best get on your way. There's an akuma you know."

"Yes, yes. Thank you."

"Any time, Ladybug." He said with a bow as the green light filled the area. Another door appeared and she could hear the piano even before opening.

"Skills, huh?" she asked the door. "Guess you're the door to his piano playing?"

The door didn't answer, but she opened it gently and the music became clearer, confirming what she already suspected.


	17. Chapter 20 & Notice

**Author's Note: First, I want to thank all of you for your support and encouragement. I really do love hearing from you all and it does mean a lot. That said, this is going to be my last update for a while. I am dealing with a personal/family matter. I do plan to finish this story at some point, but I need time off to deal with this. Sometimes writing is very therapeutic for me and I will, of course, post anything that I get done. I have said before that I hate writing cliffhangers more than I do reading them. This time, however, I am simply not capable of writing right now. Thank you again for reading my stories. This is not a permanent break, but a necessary one. I will be back at a later date.**

Inside the next room was what appeared to be some sort of night club. The room was dark save for a few spotlights highlighting the stage where a large grand piano was being played by Adrien. Ladybug smiled as the music washed over her. Adrien hadn't seen her yet and she slipped into one of the booths and listened.

Moonlight Sonata.

He was towards the end of the third movement, she realized as his fingers flew over the keys with speed and accuracy. His eyes were closed as his body swayed with the intensity of the music. Ladybug closed her own eyes, lost in the haunting piece. Finally, the final chord rang out and silence filled the room. Opening her eyes she saw Adrien smiling down at her from the piano bench.

"Care to join me?" he asked as he patted the piano seat.

"I can't play," she argued but walked over away.

"Nonsense. Everyone can play the piano. I'll show you."

She slid onto the seat as Adrien began plucking out a set of familiar notes. Ladybug chuckled as she recognized it as the only piano song she knew: Heart and Soul. Adrien finished his demonstration and then nodded, signaling for her to take over the upper hand. When she did, he started playing the lower hands, following her tempo.

Once more, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. She was sitting right next to and could sense Adrien's every movement. They played in perfect unison; as a team. And for the first time since entering the strange place of Adrien's mind, she felt a sense of peace. This was Adrien Agreste. And, yes, she loved him. She had, in one way or another, loved every part of him. But she couldn't deny that his piano playing was perhaps the most romantic aspect of him she had seen so far.

After a few rounds of the repetitive song, Adrien held out the final chord and Ladybug opened her eyes. They Adrien's and they held each other's gaze in a long moment of silence. Normally, being this close to him would have sent Marinette into a mental tailspin, but dressed as Ladybug and after meeting so many versions of him, she found that she was in control of her emotions. She longed to kiss him, but she also knew it wasn't the time or place. The piano-playing Adrien nodded and everything started to fade away in green light.

As the light faded and the next door appeared, she could help but think of another set of green eyes. She swallowed hard as she realized just how similar they were. Chat's were more cat-like due to his transformation, but there was no doubt that they were the same hue as Adrien.

_Could this mean, _she thought, _I've actually been in love with Chat this entire time? And Adrien's been in love with me?_


	18. Chapter 21

**Modeling**

The next room was full of racks of clothing. Ladybug quickly assumed that this was a backstage setting for a fashion show. Sure enough, as she made her way through the racks, she found Adrien sitting at a dressing table with a large mirror. He was muttering to himself as he slowly combed his hair.

"Hello," she said giving him a small wave as he looked over his shoulder at her.

"Ladybug! Thank goodness, I need your help!" he cried, motioning for her to come closer. "I just can't get my hair! Usually, Adrianna is the one that does it, but now...well...now I just can't get it right!"

He handed her the comb, his eyes begging for her aid. She chuckled slightly at the irony. It hadn't been that long ago that Adrianna had done her hair and now she was going to do his.

"I take it you are the modeling talent?" she asked as started examining his hair and assessing what needed to be done. He answered her and took off into a long speech, but she didn't hear him. Instead, she was starring at a wild array of blonde hair; a style she instantly recognized.

This was Chat Noir's hairstyle; she had no doubt.

Her hands shook slightly as she started combing out the locks, forcing them into Adrien's usual style. As the transformation started to become visible, Ladybug's heart wrestled with the truth. The model continued to chatter away about the difficulty of having a career in fashion. He didn't seem to notice that Ladybug wasn't really listening and that suited her well because she wasn't sure if she could form any words to respond to him.

Instead, she focused on her task, letting a strange mix of emotions wash over her as she did so. They swirled in her like a hurricane as she finished.

Ladybug stepped back and Adrien admired her handy work. He stood and thanked her, but she could respond. Instead, she nodded as he faded away and the next door appeared. Before moving on, she took a moment to breathe. The flood of emotions continued as her mind raced, trying to put all the pieces together. She knew she already had the answer, but she shook her head at the thought.

"I could be wrong," she muttered as she opened the door, but deep-down, she knew she wasn't.


	19. Chapter 22

"GAH! SERIOUSLY!?" a loud voice called as Ladybug opened the door. Inside the room was a large television screen and she instantly recognized the 'game over' screen from Ultimate Mecha Strike 3. She could see the familiar blob of golden hair poking out from the other side of the large couch placed right in between her and the game.

"Gaming," she stated, causing Adrien to spin around so that she could see his face. She smiled slightly as he motioned for her to join him.

"Oh, hey, Ladybug! Come and play a game with me. This looser keeps cheating." He pointed to the screen and she saw that he had been playing online with someone. Her eyes widened as she recognized her own screen name.

"Cheating?" she asked defensively. "You think I...uh...this person is _cheating?"_

"Either that or they really are the best," he said with a shrug, showing that he wasn't as upset as he had seemed when she came in. He handed her a remote and she took a seat beside him. Ladybug couldn't help but smile. She actually had two online profiles for the game. The one she shared with friends where she went easy on them and a second one where she didn't hold back. This Adrien, it seemed, had been playing against the second account.

"Do you play Mecha Strike?" he asked as he quickly hit a series of buttons, starting a new local game.

"A little bit," she replied. It wasn't a total lie. After all, _Ladybug _didn't usually play. It was Marinette who played video games. The game started, but Ladybug couldn't focus on the game. Instead, she kept glancing over at Adrien. He was wearing a large graphic t-shirt and gym shorts. A set of gaming headphones was hanging around his neck and his hair was a wild mess.

_Chat Noir's hair, _she noted as the storm of emotions started swirling inside her once more. The game ended quickly with Adrien winning.

"Best of three?" he offered. Ladybug nodded and vowed to focus on the game. If this really was Chat, she didn't want him taunting her later about winning. With her renewed focus, it was easy to defeat Adrien in the next two rounds. He laughed and complimented her talents.

"You're as good as Marinette," he noted catching her off guard.

"Marinette?" she asked, curious to see what this Adrien might have to say about her civilian self.

"Yeah, she's great. Best player I know actually. And I haven't even seen her at her best."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I think she takes it easy on her friends. When she does win, it's clear how good she is, but she doesn't do it every time. Just enough to be the best in the group."

"I see. Does...does that make you mad?" she asked. She knew what he said was true. She did go easy on her friends because she didn't want them to stop playing with her.

"Nah, not really. I mean, I would love to see her play at her top level, but I get it. She's being kind. It's one of the things I love about her."

"Love?" Ladybug repeated, the word making her blush. Adrien smiled as he powered off the game.

"I love her gaming ability, that's all I know about her. If you want the full picture, you need to go two doors down."

"Two doors down?" she asked, still trying to process what he was saying.

"Yep. That Adrien is in charge of the lovey-dovey stuff. You can ask him." He gave her a small wink and grin that was definitely Chat like as he faded away.

Another door opened and Ladybug tried to stop her heart from racing. She was getting closer to knowing how Adrien felt about Marinette.

_But isn't Chat in love with Ladybug? _she asked herself. _If Adrien is Chat, he loves Ladybug. Not Marinette._

Shaking her head of the confusing thoughts, she pressed on. After all, she wouldn't get any closer to solving the mystery of Adrien's heart and possible secret identity by standing around thinking about it. She had to continue.


	20. Chapter 23

Ladybug walked over to the door that had appeared but paused before she stepped through. Unlike all the other doors, this one had a sign on it.

_808.7_

She was confused at first, but as she entered the next room, the number made sense.

Library stacks filled the space as far as Ladybug could see. Each of them labeled with the same call number; 808.7. Walking up to the first row of books, she quickly grabbed a book and read the title.

_The Pun Also Rises; how the humble pun revolutionized language, changed history, and made wordplay more than some antics._

"Oh, dear, lord," Ladybug muttered as it occurred to her exactly where she was in Adrien's mind. Ladybug put the book back on the shelf and made her way through the room. Books lined the shelves, and a quick glance told her that they were all books about puns. There were also notebooks and binders mixed in with the hardcovers and paperbacks. The room as silent save for the occasional sound of rustling and soft movements coming from deeper in. Eventually, the stacks ended and she found her self in an open area full of tables and chairs. Each table had a classic green lamp on it like a library from a movie.

Looking down the row to her left, she saw a large circulation desk and smiled. Another version of Adrien was seated there. His hair was shorter than normal and slicked back. Thick rimmed glasses sat on his nose and he was flipping through a book that was resting on the desk in front of him.

She made her way to him as he copied something out of the book into a notebook. When she reached the desk, he looked up at her and smiled.

"Ah, 595.769," he said as he carefully placed a bookmark in the book before gently closing it.

"I'm sorry?"

"595.769," he repeated, pointing to the other side of the room. "Ladybugs."

"Right," she asked, recalling looking for books about ladybugs shortly after getting her miraculous. "What...what is this place?"

"The library of course," he said. "It is my job to research and catalog important information so that I can send it to Adrien as needed."

"Important information?" she repeated, glancing at the books in front of him. "Puns are _important information_?"

Adrien turned his nose in the air slightly, reminding her of their school librarian.

"The most important. Puns are an important part of the Adrien system. Without them, we would all be lost. How else do you think he survives his mundane life? Puns are his lifeline, bringing him both amusement and joy."

"I...uh...never thought about it that way," she replied. In truth, she didn't know that Adrien even cared for puns, but now that she knew he was Chat, she supposed he must like puns.

"Well, anyway, I suppose you are here gathering power to unlock Adrien's true self? I will gladly lend you my power, but please take this to him for me." He held up a red notebook and Ladybug took it from him. "It contains important information. His puns are outdated and stale. They need updating."

"Is this a book of cat puns?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at the cover which gave nothing away.

"Ma'am, do I look like the type who would limit himself to a single subject?" he asked, but Ladybug glanced around at the library containing only one subject before raising her eyebrow at him. "On second thought, don't answer that. Just be on your way."

Ladybug nodded as the library began to fade away. She opened her yo-yo and carefully tucked the notebook inside. A door appeared in front of her and, like the library door, she noticed that it had a sign as well. In fact, it had multiple signs and strips of caution tape on it. Walking up to it she saw the largest sign, right in the middle, said _Ladybug Only. _The other signs, a mixture of printer paper, post-it notes, and even the caution tape all had different messages, but the meaning was the same.

_No Marinette Dupain-Cheng Allowed_


	21. Chapter 24

**Alright, the moment of truth! I've been working on this particular chapter since the beginning and had several different ideas on how it would go down, but I picked this one. Hope you all like it and, as always, thanks for the support! **

Ladybug felt her heart pounding as she stared at the door trying to understand what it meant.

_Ladybug only. _

Clearly, Adrien loved Ladybug. He was Chat after all. But to go through such effort to make it clear that her civilian-self was not allowed in this room was both confusing and hurtful. Did Adrien not like Marinette?

Taking a deep breath to silence her thoughts, she pushed the door open and walked in. The room was dark save for the soft glow of a few candles in the middle of the room.

"Hello, milady," a silky voice called from the darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she was able to make out Adrien standing next to a table in what appeared to be a tux. He motioned to the table and pulled out a chair. "Please, have a seat."

Cautiously, she sat down and let Adrien push her into the table. It was covered in a white table cloth and had a vase of roses resting next to two tall candles that provided the lighting. Adrien sat down across from her. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

"Want to see something beautiful?" he asked. Ladybug nodded slowly, begging her heart to slow down so that she could ask him about the signs on the door. Adrien produced a mirror from under the table and held it up so she could see her reflection. The corny gesture snapped her out of her state of shock and bewilderment. This was Chat. Of that, she was positive now.

"Why is Marinette not allowed here?" she asked firmly. In response, he hissed and put the mirror down.

"Do not mention that name!" he snapped, his eyes seeming to glow in the candlelight. "This space is for you! And only you! I have pledged myself to your devotion! Is that not enough?"

Adrien got to his feet and it was as if someone turned on the lights at the same time. Ladybug blinked at the sudden brightness. As her vision cleared, she saw that the room was covered in images of Ladybug, including a life-sized portrait of her and Chat Noir staring into each other's eyes romantically.

"Could I be happy with Marinette? Possibly, but how could I ever consider her?" Adrien continued on, his voice growing louder. "To do so would be a betrayal of my love for you! I love you, Ladybug! And no other!"

As Adrien continued to ramble, Ladybug stood and moved closer to the portrait. She reached up and traced Chat's jawline with a finger. Chat had become a close friend over their time together, and she was very fond of them. Then something inside started to click. Chat was Adrien. Adrien was Chat. They were the exact same person, yet she called on her friend and the other her love. If her mind were divided into rooms, would she have a 'No Chat' sign on this door? Her stomach twisted into knots as she began to understand.

She did love Chat, but she had been in denial. She denied it because she loved Adrien, not knowing they were the same person. Looking back at Adrien, she started to understand. He loved Marinette but was in denial as well. He was purposefully denying his feelings for her because he was in love with Ladybug. She smiled softly at their shared dilemma. They both didn't want to be in love with two people and they weren't. They just didn't know that Adrien was Chat and Marinette was Ladybug. They loved each other but didn't know it.

"Adrien," she whispered softly to him, walking over so that she was standing next to him. "I understand now. Thank you for explaining it to me."

She stood on tiptoe and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Adrien instantly turned bright red. Ladybug couldn't help but chuckle. One one hand, she felt like an idiot for not seeing this earlier, but on the other, she was simply relieved.

"It's going to be alright, Adrien." she whispered into his ear. "I just need to defeat this akuma. I love you."

Adrien nodded slowly, clearly too shocked for words. He faded away and another door appeared. More confident and determined than ever, Ladybug opened the door. She understood her mission now. She understood what all the Adrien's had been hinting at since the very beginning; the mystery of Adrien's 'true self'.

She needed to find Chat Noir.


	22. Chapter 25

**For all those who followed the official Adrien August, you might notice that I skipped over a few of the prompts. Honestly, I kinda just want to wrap this up since it's almost October now plus it's just a neater way to round out the end. That way, I can get back to a few other projects and most likely start a few new ones. Yeah for new episodes and ideas right? Enjoy!**

The next room was pitch black and there was a strong wind blowing. Listening closely, Ladybug could hear voices in the distance. Walking towards them, she found it hard to keep her footing against the wind. It roared in her ears, but she could still pick out the distant voices. She pressed on until she saw a faint glow. As the voices grew clearer, she could make out the shape of a street light in the distance.

"Which one?" one of the voices was asking. "You have to pick!"

"No! I can't!" Another shouted. Ladybug picked up her pace, fairly certain that the second voice was Adrien.

"You're running out of time, stupid cat." The first voice spoke again, this time Ladybug was able to tell it was Hawkmoth. In the darkness, she spied a soft glow of green. Realizing that it was Chat's eyes, she darted towards him.

"I...I can't," he was muttering as she knelt down in front of him, saying his name, but he didn't seem to ear.

"Ladybug or Marientte?" Hawkmoth's voice echoed around them again. "You can't save them both!"

"But...but I..." Chat's body was shaking as Ladybug wrapped her arms around him.

"Shhh," she whispered in his ears. "It's alright. It's a nightmare."

"Choose, Chat!" Hawkmoth demanded. She held Chat closer to her, her heartbreaking for him. To be forced to choose between Chat and Adrien would have been an impossible choice for her as well.

"You don't have to choose, kitty," she whispered. "Marinette is Ladybug. Ladybug is Marinette. They are the same."

The wind around them stopped and Chat pulled himself from her arms. In the dark, his eyes glowed faintly and she knew he could see her. She smiled softly into the darkness.

"Hello, Chat," she said, her voice sounding much louder now that the wind had stopped. "It's me. It's Marinette."

Ladybug felt Chat's claws brush against her cheek. He didn't say anything and she couldn't make out his facial expression, but she leaned into his touch, knowing that he must be processing.

"It's alright, Adrien. It's all going to be alright."

In an instant, Ladybug felt the floor give beneath her and she was falling. She screamed for Chat, but there was no answer. Spinning around, she desperately tried to make out anything in the darkness, but there was nothing. Her heart raced as she continued to fall, but then she landed. Her body screamed at her in pain, but she had landed in something soft. A bright light stung at her eyes. Closing them against the sudden change of lighting, she dug her fingers into the soft ground. Even with her gloved hand, she could tell what she had landed in; sand.


	23. Chapter 26

"Hey there, milady," A voice called out to her. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she could make out Adrien's face not far from where she was lying. Getting to her feet, she took in her surroundings. She was standing on a sandy beach surrounded by water. In the center of the small island were a few palm trees; Adrien was seated under one of them. He was holding a half a coconut with a plastic straw and umbrella stick out of it.

"Uh, hello?" she asked, rather confused. She hadn't walked through a door this time.

"Welcome to Denial-Isle!" he declared, holding his arms up and gesturing about the island.

"Denial what now?" she asked as Adrien took a long drink from the coconut.

"Denial-Isle. Denial that you are Ladybug; denial that I love you, meaning I love Marinette and not _just _Ladybug. Denial that I hate my life...pretty much anything that Adrien, the main one, doesn't want to believe gets sent down here."

"Wait...so Adrien knows I'm Marinette?" she asked, piecing together what he was saying.

"Yep, but he's in super denial about it. Just like you are with Chat."

"I am not!" she cried defensively, but Adrien raised an eyebrow at her. Ashamed, she realized what he said was true. There had been numerous signs that Chat was Adrien and vice versa. She had simply refused to see it.

"See what I mean?" he asked. "You have a Denial-Isle, too."

"I probably don't call it that." She argued. Adrien shrugged and took another long sip of his drink. Ladybug walked over and sat down next to him. "So, did I get sent here because I told that other Adrien I was Marinette?"

"Probably. Good thing that wasn't the real Hawkmoth." He said with a wink. She had been fairly sure it wasn't real, but the confirmation gave her a sense of relief.

"That was a nightmare, wasn't it?" Ladybug asked and he nodded. "How do I get out of here?"

"Not sure. I don't have a door like the others. Otherwise, I would have confessed my undying love to you long ago. As Marinette I mean."

Ladybug looked over at this form of Adrien and he smiled at her. His green eyes were shining with love and understanding. The thought of him confessing to her as Adrien made her blush.

"I have to find Chat," she said, hoping he would have some idea of what to do.

"Well, I know that he can hear me." Adrien said, leaning back against the tree and looking up into the sky. "He never listens, but I know he hears me. Maybe he can hear you too."

Ladybug looked up into the sky as well. Standing up, she tried to think about what to say to him, but kept drawing a blank. She started fiddling with the bottle which hung around her neck. Looking at it, she could tell it was almost full.

"This is supposed to help me unlock his true self," she said, glancing back at Adrien.

"Well, then," he said, setting his drink to the side and standing up. "Best we top it off. But, before we do..."

He paused and walked over to her. Reaching out, he caressed her cheek with his hand, much like Chat had in the previous room.

"I love you, Marinette." he whispered to her. "I hope you know that."

"Yes," she muttered, feeling like she might melt into him. "And I love you too, Chat."

Adrien smiled and closed his eyes. He laughed slightly before kissing her forehead.

"I might be in denial, but I honestly never thought I'd hear you say that milady."

"Then I'll say it again," she said wrapping her arms around him. "I love you, Chat Noir. I always have. I just didn't see it."

She could feel Adrien fading away and she closed her eyes, trying to savor every moment, but he was gone. Opening her eyes, she waved her hands through the air that had previously been Adrien. Tears stung at her eye.

Ladybug reached for the bottle to find that it was gone. Pulling the object that had replaced it out where she could see it, her heart dropped. In her hand was a string lined with beads; exactly like the lucky charm Adrien had made her for her birthday. Looking up into the sky again, Ladybug wrapped her fingers around the charm tightly.

"Alright, kitty!" she screamed into the air. "Listen up cause I got a few things to say to you!"


	24. Chapter 27

"I've been bouncing around in this head of yours for what seems like forever!" Ladybug called into the sky, clinging to her charm. "And you know what? I feel like the biggest idiot ever! I've been literally running and falling and scaling garbage cans because I'm too afraid to confess my feelings to Adrien only to find out that he is a super-dork in a catsuit! What in the world was I so afraid of?"

The sky darkened slightly and Ladybug's gut told her it was because of what she was saying, but she pressed on, pouring out all the thoughts and emotions that had been raging inside her since Adrien's mother spoke to her that field of sunflowers.

"You are a dumb, annoying, pun-telling superhero! Who would have thought? Perfect model by day, goofball by night! And you know what makes it worse, kitty? The fact that I love it! I love it all. Yes, I can be harsh and annoyed by you, especially when your antics create more problems than they solve, but you're my partner. I can always count on you. You're always there when I need you and I can tell you anything. I fell in love with you, Chat! I don't know how or why, but, at some point, I finally fell for all your pathetic jokes and overdramatic charm. But, just like you, I have a little island of denial. How can I love Chat? I'm in love with Adrien! You can't love two people right?"

Thunder roared across the sky and dark clouds were forming, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop as the truth of everything poured out of her. Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she felt like she might burst if she even tried to stop screaming into the sky.

"I get it now! Adrien and Chat are two parts of a whole! If I've learned anything since I started this crazy journey it's that you can't have one without the other. I know that know. I accept that because I love you, all of you! And I know that you feel the same way. So, wake up or whatever you need to do, because I need you! We are a team. You can't have Ladybug without Chat Noir. We are one, Adrien. You and me. Ladybug and Chat. Marinette and Adrien. We need each other! We are a team and so much more!"

Ladybug paused as rain began to fall down on her face, mixing with her tears.

"Chat, I love you. Please wake up. Please."

Lightning flashed around her and her sobs and tears grew heavier. Then suddenly, there was a flash and Ladybug saw the outline of a door a few yards in front of her. The door opened for her and she ran straight through. She ran into something and it moved backward. Two arms wrapped themselves around her and she knew she had found him. Still crying, she looked up to see Chat Noir smiling down at her.

"Hey there Ladybug," he whispered.

"Chat," Ladybug felt her heart racing, wondering if this was really him or just another version. "Is...is it really you?"

"Yes, and no I'm afraid. You're still in my mind and you have to get back out there and fight the akuma."

"I can't do it without you!" She whined, not ready to leave him.

"I know. That's why you have to give me a chance to get away. Get away so I can transform."

Ladybug froze as she caught his deeper meaning.

"You...you won't remember this." She said as Chat slowly shook his head.

"This was for you, milady. A lucky charm to help you know what to do. Otherwise, you never would have let Adrien out of your sight. But you have to let him go."

"But...everything...everything I've seen..."

"Oh, that part is very much real," he told her. "The akuma really is attacking my mind. It's like a mirror, a reflection of Adrien's real mind."

"So, you are...a reflection?" she asked, feeling her heart breaking.

"Yes, but an accurate one. Everything that you have seen is real, but it hasn't taken place in Adrien's mind. Rather, it's in the copy made by the akuma."

"I don't want to leave you," she muttered, burying her face into his chest. He held her tight as he spoke.

"I know, but now you know who I am. You can end this. You can end the cycle of denial that we are trapped in. But first, you have to fight the akuma."

"I already used my lucky charm," she said.

"I still have cataclysm. We can still do this, milady." He pushed back against her, forcing her to look back up at him. His face was pained and she knew he felt the same way, reflection or not.

"Alright," she said reluctantly, wishing she could stay with him. Stay with the Chat who knew who she was. "How do I leave?"

Chat reached out and wiped the tears from her cheeks before pointing to a door to her right.

"I'll be waiting for you, milady." he told her gently. Ladybug nodded and started towards the door. Looking back, she saw Chat smiling at her. Behind him, the other versions of Adrien she had met were smiling too. Glancing around, she felt stronger. This was Adrien. So many pieces, so many different sizes, but she saw the truth. She loved them all. And they all loved her. Turning away from them, she opened the door and stepped through.


	25. Chapter 28

**Oh...my...lord! This took FOREVER! So sorry guys, but I think after writing from Marinette's point of view for two months somehow wiped my ability to write from Adrien's. Never before have I had this much trouble with a ****_fluff _****chapter. So, sorry for the delay, but I wanted to get this just right. Several other things I want to tell you all, but I'll put it at the bottom so you can read the chapter first ;)**

Adrien blinked as pain coursed through his head. He tried to remember what was happening, but then he saw Ladybug standing in front of him. She was shielding him with her yo-yo from the akuma that had crashed his photoshoot.

"Quick," she said, looking over her shoulder at him. "Get out of here."

Adrien didn't need to be told twice. While she kept the akuma busy, he quickly dashed into an alley where he quickly transformed and went back as Chat Noir.

"The mirror!" Ladybug shouted at him as she dodged an attack from the akuma. He quickly spied the mirror in the akumatized person's hand as he summoned up his cataclysm. In a matter of seconds, Ladybug was purifying the akuma and sending it off while he was consoling the victim, a fellow model who had auditioned for the cover shoot Adrien had ended up getting.

"Everything good?" Ladybug asked as she came over.

"Yeah, we're good here. Pound it?" he asked, raising his fist.

"Not yet, I need to talk to you." She nodded towards the roof and the superheroes said their farewells and jumped up towards the Paris sky.

"What's up, milady?" he asked as he landed, out of sight of the crowd. "I already used cataclysm so I don't-"

Chat blinked rappidely as he tried to process what had stopped him from finishing his sentence. A wave of warmth rushed over his body and he felt his heart pounding as he realized that Ladybug was kissing him.

He couldn't believe it was happening, but he found himself wrapping his arms around her, savoring the moment as his brain seemed to malfunction. However, a small beeping sound from Ladybug's earrings jumpstarted his thinking and he quickly pushed her away.

"Milady," he said as he tried to catch his breath, "As much as I'm enjoying this...the boy you like."

"It's alright, Chat." Ladybug answered with a mischievous smile. "I'll kiss him later."

She winked at him and took off into the distance.

"That's not how this works!" he cried after her, wanting to follow but recognizing that she must have used a lucky charm at some point and he hadn't noticed. He watched her disappear in the skyline as his own ring beeped at him. He tried to process what had just happened to no avail. Eventually, his cat ears picked up his name being called in the distance; they were looking for him. He jumped down into the alleyway and dropped his transformation. Looking at the kwami he thought about telling him about the kiss, not sure if Plagg would be aware of it, but decided against it. Plagg wasn't the best at love advice and there wasn't time.

Adrien struggled to get through the rest of the photoshoot but somehow made it through with the constant couching from the photographer. Halfway through, he noticed Marinette sitting on a park bench not far away. When it was over, he walked over to her. She looked up and smiled at him as he approached.

"Hey, Marinette," His was mind still spinning over Ladybug and he was hoping that talking with Marinette might take his mind off of it. She was a good friend and he had found himself seeking refuge in her presence more and more.

"Hi Adrien. I wanted to talk to you for a minute." She said, putting her notebook back into her bag. "It's important."

"Sure," he muttered and let her lead him away from the busy park until they were in a secluded alley way. She quickly turned and, once again, Adrien found himself being kissed. Her kiss was warm and inviting, but something in him broke.

"Wait, wait, WAIT!" he screamed, pushing her away. "WHY is everyone kissing me today! What is going on?"

"Not everyone is kissing you, Adrien." Marinette said with a soft chuckle.

"Is there like an internet prank going on or something? Or did someone dare you? I, mean, seriously! First _her_, now you!"

"In my defense, I _told _you I was going to kiss you." Marinette said as she crossed her arms. "Unless you somehow managed to forget that kiss as well, kitty."

"What are you..." he started to ask, but then he froze. Looking at Marinette, he studied her carefully, taking in the full meaning of her words. "No...no...you can't."

A sly grin broke across Marinette's face as Adrien started to put two and two together. It wasn't the first time that Adrien had wondered if the shy Marinette could be his brave and bold Ladybug, but this time it was different. This time, he was thinking about it with her standing right in front of him. This time he had concrete evidence. This time, Ladybug _wanted _him to figure it out.

Dumbfounded, he tried to think of what to say, how to react, but nothing came to him. A series of half-formed words stumbled out of his mouth, but none of them even began to form a coherent thought. Marinette laughed at his blundering and he felt his face turning a deep shade of red.

"It's alright, kitty." she assured him. "Take your time."

_Kitty._

It was a simple word that he had heard so often, but at this particular moment, it carried enormous weight. Closing his eyes, he reached out and pulled Marinette towards him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. His body shook with a mix of shock, fear, and excitement.

"How did you find out?" he managed to ask.

"Lucky charm," she answered as if that explained everything.

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

"Are you okay with this? With Chat being Adrien and Adrien being Chat?"

"At first, maybe not, but I see it now. You are two parts of a whole."

"And you like the whole I take it?"

"Yes, kitty. I love you. All of you."

Tears pushed their way out from behind Adrien's tightly closed eyes, but he didn't care. Her words broke him in a way that he didn't know was possible. Part of him was still processing, but he knew that he loved her as well. Her being Marinette and Ladybug simply deepened his love for her.

"I love you too, milady. All of you."

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**The End! Thank you so much for reading! As I mentioned earlier I wanted to let you guys know a few things:**

**1\. I love you all. Seriously. Can't say it enough. When I got back into writing fanfic again earlier this year I had no idea how many wonderful people I would get to talk to. You guys are just awesome. I've always loved writing but it has seriously been such a joy writing these stories for you these past few months. I never thought I would end up writing 9, almost 10 (Emma is just about there!) complete Miraculous fanfics. I really only wanted to write one believe it or not. But listening to you and interacting with you has given me the writing bug like I haven't experienced in 10+ years. I honestly believe that I'm more excited to post an update than you are to read it.**

**2\. Because of all that has been going on with my writing, your guys' amazing support, and a few things in my personal life, I've made a few major decisions that have been in the works for quite some time now that I'm ready to start sharing. As my favorite group of readers, I wanted to let you know first: I'm writing a novel. Like a real, bonafide, original work, about 120,000 words novel. AND if I ever get it done, it's actually the first in a series. It's a story that's been in my head since about 2007 and, largely due to all of you, I've found the courage and determination to get it all on paper. Yes, I'll be doing NaNoWriMo, but I actually found out about that ****_after _****making this decision. **

**3\. With all my writing going on, I've created a home base of sorts in the form of a blog. I'm still posting here on fanfic (all fanfic will actually be posted HERE before going on my blog) but I wanted to share it with you. I'm still getting things uploaded, but it's (technically) ready for visitors. All of my work, including my fanfic, original work, and parts of the novel in progress will be going there. So, if you want to see more/hear more for me, I'll be over there quite a bit now that this story is done. (Emma is coming though, promise!) My goal is to have the rough draft of my novel done by Christmas but I'll be sharing updates as I go along for accountability.**

**In short:**

**I'm focusing more on my original work and less on my fanfic. Since I can't share original content here, you can find me over at lunettependragon . com**

**Emma Agreste will be wrapping up soon.**

**I'm planning on going dark from Fanfiction for the month of November.**

**I love you all, very much. Thank you for being so freaking amazing!**

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